


micaiah/zelgius songfics

by LilacMist



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Canon divergence???, F/M, check each chap for specifics, eventually fluff, lots of angst probably, some one-sided feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18750175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMist/pseuds/LilacMist
Summary: oneshot collection for songfics. each fic has its own song, premise, etc.





	1. All That Matters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Daisysmartheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisysmartheart/gifts).



> Song: "All That Matters" by Jeff Williams (RWBY Vol. 5)
> 
> additional character(s): sothe  
> additional tags: one-sided feelings, this one's pretty unhealthy ngl
    
    
      _Never thought that you would stay forever_
    

Micaiah stares down at the Black Knight from the highest level of Daein Keep. "You... You will not witness your prince taking his rightful place as king?" she asks.
    
    
      _Never asked you to commit your life_
    

He shakes his head. "I have business to attend to elsewhere. I trust you can handle the situation from here, Maiden."
    
    
      _But I can tell you in my heart I never_
    

She trusts him. She has since she first met him. He knows what's best for Daein, so why? Why does her soul ache?
    
    
      _Thought you’d up and leave me_
    

She reaches out her hand. "Will I see you again?" Nothing she can say will change his mind about leaving, and she knows that, but it doesn't stop her from wishing.
    
    
      _Without a trace to lead me_
    

He says nothing. Her heart burns. A simple yes or a no would suffice. Not knowing will hurt her the most.
    
    
      _But now you’re standing here with that look in your eyes_
    

"Maiden, I am your shield. If you are ever in distress, I will be there in an instant." He warps out right after.
    
    
      _The look that makes me hope I’ll just believe your lies_
    

Relief washes over Micaiah. He will return when the time is right.

***

"How can you trust him like that?" Sothe asks her skeptically. "He's gone. We can't rely on him to just appear when we need a helping hand."

Micaiah narrows her eyes. "I just... I had a feeling when we met. He is trustworthy. He will come when we need him. I'm sure of it."

Sothe frowns and crosses his arms. "He also murdered Commander Ike's dad and threatened to do the same to him and his sister."

"I don't know why he did what he did in the past, but here and now, he is our ally. Allies should rely on each other," she says, turning on her heel and marching away.

***
    
    
      _You're lost, you're found_
    

"There are too many of them!" Sothe yells, backing up onto the dry ground and waving Micaiah over. "I don't think we can last much longer! We need to pull back!"

"We can't!" she insists, rushing to Sothe's side and healing his wounds.
    
    
      _You're hard to pin down_
    

Aran falls. Nolan tries to hold the line on his own, but Micaiah can tell he is weakened. Zihark is nowhere to be found. The laguz breach their line.
    
    
      _I never know if you'll come through_
    

"Are we going to die here?" Meg asks Micaiah in an uncharacteristically quiet voice.

Micaiah scans the battlefield and bites her lip. "I... I can't see the future," she admits. She doesn't want to state the obvious--she doesn't need foresight to know that the laguz have overpowered them.

If this isn't distress, she doesn't know what is.
    
    
      _Then you appear_
    

The air itself shakes. Micaiah turns quickly enough to see the Black Knight appear out of nowhere. Her terror turns to joy. "Sir Knight! You're safe!"
    
    
      _Together we're here_
    

"I am here to protect you. Do not leave my side," he commands. She runs to him, throwing her arms around him.
    
    
      _And that's all that matters somehow_
    

"I'm so happy to see you again," she mumbles. He doesn't respond, instead looking out to the river littered with laguz corpses.

***

Micaiah tries not to look Sothe in the eye after the battle is won.

"You call that a victory, and while we did hold off the enemy, we did not defeat them," he says sharply. "And... We lost two of our allies."

"We never found Zihark's body." Micaiah quickly interjects. "He could still be alive."

Sothe winces. "I never said he was dead, Micaiah. I said we lost him as an ally."

"And Sir Knight has returned to us," she changes the subject.

"Oh, sorry. I was too distracted by the preventable death of our friend to notice."

"Sothe, that's not fair!"

" _You're_ not being fair!"

Micaiah steps back, and Sothe squeezes his eyes shut and turns away. "You're not being fair, Micaiah. We've always been here for you, but every time he shows up, you act like the whole world revolves around him."

"He saved me, Sothe! He saved all of us!" she interjects, but he shakes his head.

"Not all of us."

"He saved who he could! He's a person, just like you and me, and we should be thankful for what he did!"

"He's taken more lives than he's saved," Sothe mumbles. He leaves without another word, leaving Micaiah alone.

***
    
    
      _Thought that I could pull you from the shadows_
    

"We're going to face the Greil Mercenaries in combat, tomorrow," Micaiah explains to the Black Knight.
    
    
      _Maybe help you find your wings and fly_
    

"It's going to be a difficult battle for everyone, but with you here, I am confident that we can hold our ground!" She smiles over at him reassuringly. "You... You being here means so much to me, Sir Knight."
    
    
      _But you’re a path the longer that I travel_
    

The Black Knight drums his fingers against his sword's hilt. "I am sure that Ike will be leading them," he practically hisses.
    
    
      _The more I’m just defeated_
    

Did he not hear what she said? She coughs. "Sir Knight, I truly do thank you for the help you've provided for me. Without you, I don't think I would be standing, leading this army."
    
    
      _My past mistakes repeated_
    

Hearing his name again must have gotten his attention. "My maiden, as I have said before, I will be your shield."
    
    
      _I’ll risk it once again to have you near my side_
    

That's all she needs to hear. "I am so glad! Sir Knight, you will always have a place in the Dawn Brigade. We would love for you to remain with us and help us keep Daein free." She twiddles her thumbs and takes a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "Sir Knight, you are very special to me. I am happy when you are by my side."
    
    
      _Another chance to let you just destroy my pride_
    

The Black Knight rises and rests his hands on his sword. "After this battle, I am afraid I will depart again. Know that I will return to protect you when you are in need."

***

The defeated Daein army retreats. Sothe doesn't say "I told you so." Micaiah is grateful.

***
    
    
      _I feel like I’m running out of energy_
    

Micaiah collapses onto her bedroll. Her foresight is gone. She couldn't predict the deception from the Greil Mercenaries. She could only sit and watch as her army was surrounded from all sides, utterly defeated.
    
    
      _When you just take everything in stride_
    

The Black Knight had rushed out to meet Commander Ike in combat. His movements were strong, fluid, and full of purpose.
    
    
      _The way I feel_
    

That vigor is too familiar to her. She feels it every time her Knight appears on the battlefield, ready to protect her.
    
    
      _To you is no big deal_
    

It's obvious--he doesn't feel the same way for her.
    
    
      _It’s sad but it’s true_
    

Sure, he saves her when the time is right, but the more Micaiah witnesses it, the more she realizes it is out of some sense of duty. Her heart tears in two.
    
    
      _That the one thing I can count on_
    

His sword clashed with Ike's. The Black Knight was victorious and left the enemy commander wounded, but he was not defeated. Ike would live to face his nemesis again.
    
    
     _Is that I can’t count on you_.

When Ike disappeared, the Black Knight vanished.

***

"Micaiah?"

"Come in."

Micaiah flops over onto her stomach as Sothe enters her tent.

"Look," he mumbles, fumbling with the ties on his gloves. "I just wanted to apologize for--"

"You were right."

Sothe looks up at Micaiah, who has since let her face rest against the bedroll. "You were right," she mumbles again. This time, her voice is muffled. "I had no reason to trust the Black Knight like I did."

He sits down next to her. "It's okay."

She shakes her head. "No, it's not."

He rubs her hand against her back in an attempt at comfort. "We all learn from our mistakes.

She sits up with a start and draws her knees to her chest. "I didn't learn."

"What do you--"

"I..."

Her voice drops to a whisper.

"I still trust him more than anything."

***
    
    
      _You're lost, you're found_
    

In the middle of the desert, he appears again, rescuing them from an endless hoard of Ashera's disciples.
    
    
      _You're hard to pin down_
    

Skrimir tries to hide the Black Knight behind him, but he refuses. "I will protect the maiden at all costs."
    
    
      _I never know if you'll come through_
    

Micaiah tries not to listen. He wasn't there when they were cornered by the Apostle's forces. He wasn't there when the Greil Mercenaries launched an assault. The chaos was so great that the goddess living within the cursed medallion would have been freed on her own. He _wasn't_ there for her.
    
    
      _Then you appear_
    

The desert sand slows him considerably, but Micaiah spends so much time reminiscing that he's beside her in an instant.
    
    
      _Together we're here_
    

“Maiden. I have a favor to ask of you. Will you come with me? My master awaits you at the Tower of Guidance.”
    
    
      _And that's all that matters_
    

Micaiah doesn't think.
    
    
      _Somehow_
    

"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> daisy did the rwby song schtick first, and i love her for it
> 
> this fic will prob be a mix of rwby songs and phillip phillips songs bc that's how i roll
> 
>  


	2. So Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> falling in love is...so easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "So Easy" by Phillip Phillips
> 
> additional tags: falling in love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
      _Like a fall leaf from a tall tree landing on the grass_
    

That night in the forest, she immediately knew she could trust the knight in shining armor. It was innate. Instinctive, even. His presence put her at ease, and his protection warranted it. General Jarod fled, and instead of the usual relief, a fresh, new feeling washed over her. She felt safe. She felt like she belonged. Her praise of the Black Knight's work was natural, and it flowed effortlessly, like she had known him for years. Though she just met him, his presence was familiar and comforting. It was _right_.
    
    
      _Like the white sand turns the clock hand in an hourglass_
    

They fight back-to-back, trekking up the keep's steps together. Their movements are in sync. One flash of Thani here, and a swing of Alondite there. The Black Knight had told Micaiah to stay back and out of the fray, but she had refused. She knows he does not need her help. She knows it is safer to stay back and let him take on the entire army by himself. But if she does that, they wouldn't be facing Jarod _together_. And that thought does not sit well with her.
    
    
      _You're the reason_
    

They reach Jarod together. The Black Knight absorbs the attacks, and Micaiah focuses her entire being into her offense. It's easy. Their teamwork is flawless, like they have been fighting at each other's side for their entire lives. "You've liberated Daein, Maiden," he tells her. Micaiah shakes her head.

" _We_ liberated Daein."
    
    
      _I believe in_
    

She would not have it any other way. The Black Knight covers her weaknesses. He amplifies her strengths. His presence is a comfort, and his words bring peace in an otherwise tumultuous world. She's never felt this way before. This connection runs deeper than anything she's experienced.
    
    
      _Something I don't know_
    

She doesn't know what it is, but she can't get enough of it.
    
    
      _You make it so, you make it so, you make it so easy_
    

Muarim warns her to not share her mark with anyone. Branded are persecuted, shamed, and killed for merely existing. She should be afraid, but she isn't.
    
    
      _This letting go is so beautiful_
    

She shows him her hand--bold and proud. "I am one of the Branded," she explains. "My mark used to terrify me. I thought that people would harm me. I thought I would have to spend the rest of my life running, but when I'm by your side, my fears wash away."
    
    
      _'Cause you make it so easy_
    

She doesn't know this man's past. What sort of life did he have before becoming a general of Daein? She wants to know, but at the same time, she knows whatever his answer will not matter to her. The Black Knight is special. He completes her in a way that no one else has.
    
    
      _To fall so hard, to fall so hard_
    

She realizes she's in love.

***
    
    
      _Like the ocean pulls the tide in just to hold it close_
    

"Maiden, stay by me. I will not let them harm you."  
The Black Knight wraps his arms around Micaiah and picks her up off of the ground. Time slows. She's Branded. He wants to hold her tighter. He had known this girl was an integral pawn in Daein's restoration, but he had no idea she... She was like him. He doesn't know what hardships she has endured. He doesn't know how she managed to conceal her nature after becoming the symbol of hope for Daein. None of this matters right now, though. He puts his orders on hold. She has come too far to be cut down here.
    
    
      _Like the rain pour in a rainstorm makes the flowers grow_
    

"I know you won’t. Thank you." He is taken aback. How can she say something like that? How can she place so much trust in someone she just met? Did she feel his mark, too? The Black Knight turns around and searches her face, trying to find traces of her motive. "I trust you," she says simply, answering his question before he asks. He returns to his job of protecting with a newfound vigor. He cannot let her down, now. Not when she has placed all her faith in him. He must deliver.
    
    
      _You're the reason_
    

Is it pride? Is it duty? Where is this sudden surge of emotion coming from? The Black Knight doesn't know. Perhaps it's merely instinct--one Brand protecting another. Whatever the case, this is foreign to him.
    
    
      _I believe in_
    

He doesn't realize it right away, but the Silver-haired Maiden is eliminating as many enemies as he is. Before he can get a word out, she tells him, "Don’t fear for me, Sir Knight. I will fight beside you." He's torn. He wants to keep her out of harm's way, but at the same time, having her offering encouragement close by was... warm.
    
    
      _Something I don't know_
    

It's a foreign feeling, but it's one he comes to crave.
    
    
      _You make it so, you make it so, you make it so easy_
    

"I am one of the Branded," she explains. "My mark used to terrify me. I thought that people would harm me. I thought I would have to spend the rest of my life running, but when I'm by your side, my fears wash away."

In their first encounter, she had no idea that he bore his own brand. Micaiah trusted him without the kinship he felt. She trusted him for being himself. She trusted him for protecting her. It's undeserved; he knows that. She seems to know that, too, and she doesn't mind.
    
    
      _This letting go is so beautiful_
    

The least he can do is answer her faith in kind. "Maiden, your trust in me gives me a purpose--a purpose to a life long spent wandering." He slowly removes his helmet and lets her gaze into his piercing eyes.
    
    
      _'Cause you make it so easy_
    

"Like you, I am one of the Branded."

He should not be telling her this, but he can't help himself. He feels so _free_. If she can trust him this wholly, he can trust her right back. Warmth, trust, and purpose. Micaiah offers so much to him that he never realized he lacked.
    
    
      _To fall so hard._
    

He realizes he is in love.

***
    
    
      _You're the reason_
    

Micaiah continues to fight for Daein, the Black Knight never leaving her side.
    
    
      _I believe in_
    

The Black Knight protects his Maiden with all his strength, fueled by her constant support.
    
    
      _Something I don't know._
    

And when the war ends, a new chapter of their life together begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ending these is still so hard even though there are literal song lyrics to help me hgdhghhghg


	3. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zelgius joins the dawn brigade in part 1  
> you could say it's  
> his home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Home" by Jeff Williams (RWBY Vol. 4)
> 
> additional character(s): sephiran  
> additional tags: SPOILERS LOL, canon divergence, zelg joins the dawn brigade in part 1, soft,,,,,,,,,
    
    
      _Hush your cries_
    
    
    
      _Close your eyes_
    
    
    
      _Stay with me_
    

"I don't want you to leave again."

The Black Knight stops moving forward and turns around. Micaiah's face is hardened in determination. She means every word.

"Not again. Not someone I... I treasure so much."

He doesn't want to leave her, but he can't abandon his duty. She's tearing him apart.

"Sir Knight," she pleads, her voice cracking and betraying her emotions. "Stay with me. I don't want to be apart from you anymore.."

 
    
    
      _Let's just dream_
    
    
    
      _Quietly_
    
    
    
      _Of what might be_
    

The Black Knight is terrified. If he stays, he turns his back on his master, his purpose, and his entire existence. But if he leaves, he will never have a chance to be cherished, to be loved, like his maiden does for him.

He feels like he's dreaming. Gone are the greaves, the pauldrons, the helmet--everything that makes him the Black Knight. All that's left behind is Zelgius, former general of Begnion, former Rider of Daein, former right hand of Sephiran. Utter foolishness, all of it. To think that he could leave everything behind so easily.

But for tonight, he'll let himself dream.

She fits in his arms perfectly, like she was created for him.

 
    
    
     _Calm your fear_
    
    
      _I'll be near_
    
    
    
      _To you, I'll cling_
    

Zelgius pulls Micaiah closer, guiding her head to rest underneath his chin. "Micaiah, I... I'm abandoning everything. Everything I've worked for. Everything I thought I knew." Her arms wind behind his back. He feels her shift against him, tigthing her hug and resting her ear against his chest. "I thought there was no hope for this world, and because of that, I pushed it towards its ruin." The more he dwells on it, the more frustrated he is with himself. "I was ready to sacrifice everything. Not only my own life, but the lives of everyone. What I've done is unforgivable, but at least there was empty honor and pride to be earned. Staying here... I'll have nothing."

 
    
    
      _Rest, my friend_
    
    
    
      _Time can mend_
    
    
    
      _Many things_
    

Micaiah runs her hand up and down his back, not faltering once despite his bleak confession. "Sir Knight, I can't begin to imagine everything you've been through. What I do know is that in your heart, you want to do what's best for everyone." She hears not only his heartbeat, but the tremors in his soul. "You aren't beyond redemption. You aren't beyond healing. No one is."

His arms tighten around her. She can feel each shaky exhalation, and she uses her magic to try and ease his mind. The anxiety and loneliness flow to her, and she holds him all the more closely because of it.

 
    
    
      _I don't know the answers_
    

"I cannot guarantee anything," she whispers, picking her head up and looking into his eyes. "We fight for Daein, and our safety is compromised often."

 
    
    
      _Tomorrow's still unknown_
    

He laughs sadly, gazing back into her eyes. "I do not think I have ever been safe."

 
    
    
     _But I can make this promise_

"I suppose I haven't either," Micaiah admits, standing on her tiptoes and reaching up to cup his face in her hands. "But if you truly stay here, we can protect each other. You can start a new life here. No one has to know where you've been or what you've done. You won't have to be the Black Knight. You can just be... Um..." she trails off, embarrassed that she doesn't even know his name.

"Zelgius," he answers, too fixated on how soft her hands feel against his skin to have any regrets in revealing his identity. "I wouldn't be starting anew taking that name."

 
    
    
      _You won't be alone_

"Your name isn't important," she admits. "The person you are is what's most important. The brave warrior who puts himself in harm's way to fight for Daein... and to keep me safe." She smiles up at him and tilts her head to the side, rubbing her thumbs against his cheekbones. "The soldier always at my side, and I at his. That's the life I wish for us to live."

 
    
    
      _I don't know where we should go_
    

"This war runs deeper than you know," Zelgius tells her. "Even if our adversary is... in the wrong... we have no hope of rivaling the power they possess. We'll be fighting for naught."

 
    
    
      _Just feeling farther from our goal_
    

Micaiah isn't fazed. Instead, she smiles more brightly than ever. "All the more reason for us to protect each other," she suggests. "Sir Knight--that is--Sir Zelgius, I have faced insurmountable odds before. With you at my side, I know we will succeed. I want nothing more than to protect the people I hold dear, and I know that deep down, you want the same."

 
    
    
     _I don't know what path we will be shown_

Zelgius hears echoes of his past in her voice. Instead of a design to bring about the world's destruction, Micaiah presents him with a simple, raw goal. She wishes to safeguard her allies. And true to her word, he secretly wants the same. He doesn't want to die. He doesn't want anyone else to die. And he especially doesn't want Micaiah to die. Micaiah--pure, sweet, angelic Micaiah. She offers him solace and salvation.

Severing himself from his past will cut him to his core, but losing Micaiah would shatter him.

 
    
    
     _But I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_

He laughs sadly. "You remind me of someone I am close to. If there is hope for me, there is surely hope for him, as well."

"If he's half the man you are, then I know there is," she tells him, trying to stand even higher on her toes to reach his face, but failing.

Zelgius leans down, then crouches to try and stand at eye level. "But just as much as you remind me of him, you continue to shine as your own light, one that leads not to destruction, but to healing. I cannot repay you for granting me station--no, for _wanting_ not my power, but my person. For showing me compassion. For giving me a home."

 
    
    
      _Yes, I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_
    

Micaiah leans forward and closes her eyes. "Never leave my side," she whispers against his lips.

"I won't," he whispers back.

The full moon glides across the sky, bathing the pair in its light. For the first time that he can remember, Zelgius sleeps peacefully. Micaiah remains encased in his arms, protected from the cool night air. Their task may be impossible, but that does not matter. They are _together_.

 

***

 
    
    
      _There's a quiet place_
    
    
    
      _In my embrace_
    

Zelgius holds Micaiah close. She's been acting distant all day, and she's finally ready to open up. "The voice, my foresight, it's gone," she mumbles, staring blankly out into space. "I don't know what the army will do without it."

"You're still you without your abilities," he assures her, running his fingers through her hair. It relaxes her.

"I know that, but... I've never been so uncertain about the future. What if my mistakes cost lives? Lives of my friends?"

"We are a team," he tells her, letting his forehead rest against hers. "You will never be alone. Where you lack, I satisfy. You already do the same for me."

 
    
    
      _A haven of safety where_
    
    
    
      _I'll dry your tears_
    

Micaiah brushes her nose against his and lets her eyes flutter open. "I feel so broken. If I can't predict the enemy's choices, how will I lead?"

"Like you always have," he says. "With vigor and passion. You will lead with the desire to protect your country and your allies."

 
    
    
      _Shelter here_
    
    
    
      _In my care_
    

"I'm so scared," she admits, closing her eyes again. "Will you keep holding me close? You help me feel at ease."

"I am always here for you, no matter what," he promises, rubbing her back and feeling her breathing steady.

 

***

 
    
    
      _But even when we stumble_
    

"The Greil Mercenaries are attacking in tandem with the Laguz Alliance!" a scout shouts to the Daein army. Zelgius grabs Micaiah's hand. "We have faced insurmountable odds before. With you at my side, I know we will succeed." Micaiah swallows and nods.

 
    
    
      _And someday when we fall_
    

"General Zelgius? You disappeared from Begnion months ago! You've been fighting alongside Daein all this time?"

Zelgius motions for Micaiah to step back. "General Ike of the Greil Mercenaries. We haven't seen each other since the Mad King's War."

Ike cocks his head to the side and narrows his eyes. "I don't know what's going on here, but you don't seem like the kind of person to do much explaining."

"My blade will speak for me," Zelgius says slowly, holding out his sword and taking a fighting stance.

"That sword... You!"

The fight is explosive, but short. Ike lacks his blessed sword, and Zelgius lacks his blessed armor. They reduce each other to shells of their former selves--battered, bruised, and exhausted.

"Stop, before one of you dies!" Micaiah interjects from behind, scurrying up and healing the two men as best as she can.

 
    
    
      _What I will remember_
    

"I may have lost my foresight, but I know that you are special to many people," she mumbles to Ike. "Just as this general is special to me. I do not want to lose either of you."

"Ike! I'm coming!" Mist yells, wading through the water to the group.

Zelgius can feel the medallion's power. Micaiah doesn't know what it is, but she feels it, too.

 
    
    
      _That I had you through it all_
    

"Perhaps we do not have to be on opposing sides of this war," Zelgius slowly suggests.

 

***

 
    
    
      _I don't know where we should go_
    

Micaiah cradles Lehran's medallion as she marches alongside the Daein Army and the Laguz Alliance to Begnion. "All of this is very strange," she admits to Zelgius. "You had said that this war runs deeper than I knew, but I never expected...this."

He says nothing.

 
    
    
     _Just feeling farther from our goal_

They will rouse the goddess of chaos when they reach the tower. Zelgius knows that they will encounter Sephiran. He will have to confront his former master. He will have to acknowledge and own his betrayal. Second-guesses flood his mind. Is this truly the best path for the world? If they fail, humanity will surely be beyond redemption.

 
    
    
     _I don't know what path we will be shown_

Micaiah hands the medallion back to Mist and reaches for Zelgius's hand. "We have faced insurmountable odds before," she recites. "With you at my side, I know we will succeed."

His misgivings fade away.

 
    
    
      _But I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_
    

"We are facing this together," she continues, tugging on his arm for him to stop, and then throwing her arms around him. "I'll be right here for you. You won't be alone."

 
    
    
     _Yes, I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_

He buries his nose in her hair and lets his hands rest at her sides, pulling her closer to him. "That gives me more strength than a goddess ever could."

 
    
    
     _Yes, I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_

The reunion of the Goddess is breathtaking. Ashunera thanks her creation for putting aside their differences and working together. Because of their work, she can once again govern the world and sustain peace.

"We could not have done it without your help," Micaiah tells her distant grandfather.

Sephiran, now adopting his true name Lehran, looks to Micaiah and the man at her side. "I should say the same for you. Both of you. I have no excuse for my actions."

"That does not matter," Zelgius interjects seriously, but with a warm smile. "You found your redemption. Your goddess needs you."

Lehran smiles back and nods. "And yours needs you," he adds.

"I will never leave her side," Zelgius vows, squeezing Micaiah's hand. She squeezes back.

 

***

 

Stories of the Goddess are passed down through generations. Perhaps one of the most well-beloved is the story of the Silver-haired Maiden and noble Sir Zelgius, uniting the nations and the Goddess alike. It is said that they lived quietly in Daein for hundreds of years. Those that doubt can visit the Goddess and her caretaker, who are always happy to recount the tale of redemption and love that twined them together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> believe if or not, this is VASTLY different than what i thought i was going to be writing when i saw these lyrics, but sometimes the story is the friends you made along the way or smth like that


	4. Hold On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelgius's last thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: "Hold On" by Phillip Phillips
> 
> additional tags: endgame rebirth 2, HAHA WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS
    
    
      _I fall into a sacred rage to escape_
    

Zelgius has never felt so alive. Finally, Gawain's son has reached his peak. Finally, he clashes swords with his teacher in his prime. Finally, he would fulfill his deepest desire, the reason he clings to this pitiful existence.

He will achieve his goal, or he will die trying.
    
    
      _The hells of the world made of puppets and fake_
    

Zelgius hadn't always been this way. At one time, he was still full of vigor and life. General Gawain was his idol, as well as his mentor. He treated him well--better than anyone ever had. When he disappeared, Zelgius was distraught, heartbroken. No one would ever accept him the same way.

Not until he met _him_.

With Gawain gone, Zelgius was forced back into a life of solitude. He was anathema, an abomination. Neither beorc nor laguz would accept him, and in his despair, he turned to a wise sage, hoping beyond all else that he could end his sorrow. Instead, the sage opened his eyes to the terrors of the world, running deeper than he had ever known. Humanity too broken to see its own depravity, the sage concluded that they must end this world and let the goddess begin a new one.

Something so horrifying should not have been so relieving.

The corruption, the poverty, the intolerance, the war... Everything would stop.

No one would have to suffer like he had.

Now, Zelgius has played his part. His role is fulfilled. The hopeless world is in the goddess's hands, now. He can throw every last ounce of himself into his clash with Ike. No hesitation. No regrets.
    
    
      _Death won't be too far now_
    

Ike's sword pierces through him. Gawain's son has matched him, nay, surpassed him. Though he will never reach Gawain's excellence, Zelgius is at peace. He will spend his final moments basking in the battle's glory. He fought Gawain in his prime, and he will pass from this world a fulfilled man. He congratulates Ike and lets his eyelids fall shut.

...

"...ight..."

A quiet voice mumbles something in the distance.

"...Sir Knight..."

Zelgius expects his consciousness to fade, but instead, an all-too-familiar voice grows louder and louder, closer and closer.

"Sir Knight, please..."

He does not want to think about her. Not now.

He had been at peace.
    
    
      _The seeds in my heart start to awake_
    

Never before had Zelgius met someone so similar, yet so _different_. He could tell from their very first meeting that she bore a Brand, and yet, she didn't hide. Micaiah placed herself in the spotlight for all to see. If she was afraid, she never showed it.

Even more striking is that she continued to fight for Daein, even after discovering the corruption seeping in. And now, she fights for all people, even those who have caused her much harm in the past. She never once gave up on humanity.

Micaiah was dealt the same cards, but she never gave in to despair.

Micaiah would never condemn the world like he did.

Micaiah does not deserve the godess's judgment.

She's a living reminder that his decisions were _wrong_.
    
    
      _So all I can do is be the man that the lord brought me to today_
    

The best he can do is apologize, but "Sorry I tried to wipe out humanity" does not sound appropriate here. His time is short, and he has not the luxury of divulging every detail she will need to succeed in her trial. Zelgius forces his eyes open and meets Micaiah's earnest gaze.
    
    
      _Hold on to your life my love_
    

"Maiden, do not despair."
    
    
      _and then you'll find what's in and out of line_
    

"You will guide this world on its intended path. I know it."
    
    
      _Just hold on_
    

"Never stop fighting for those you love."
    
    
      _They say you'll find yourself one of these days_
    

Strangely, Zelgius is at peace once more. Accepting his shortcomings, accepting his misguided deeds, accepting his _failure_... This realization is what he needed.
    
    
      _As if they know I'm lost and could never be saved_
    

He has been on a path to his own destruction since he allied himself with the goddess. He knew he was signing his own death warrant, and now he's facing his decision head-on. But Micaiah...  
Her ideals prove the world is not lost.
    
    
      _A gamble is what I'll take trading ashes for gold, hoping life will give its sake_
    

Perhaps it is foolish to entrust her with the fate of the world. He could have misjudged her character, or she may yet be too weak to harm the goddess.
    
    
      _Life is too short to stop and stare at the blank page that tells your way_
    

It's a wager he must take. Micaiah doesn't deserve to be given up on, so he won't. He closes his eyes one final time. Her voice is the last sound he hears.

***
    
    
      _Hold on to your life my love_
    

"Stay with me, Sir Knight!" Micaiah pleads. "You cannot die! You _cannot_ die!"
    
    
      _and then you'll find what's in and out of line_
    

"We are going to challenge the goddess, and we need your strength!" She reaches out with trembling hands and cups his face, feeling no movement underneath her fingers.
    
    
      _Just hold on_
    

"Sir Knight... _I_ need your strength..."

  

    
    
     _"Hold on..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is one of my fav micbk songs, and i'm glad i finally got to write something for it!!!!!  
> happy summertime everybody  
> i'm doing lots of traveling to see family and friends!!!! these two... still ruin my life no worries
> 
> If you haven't yet, you can join the [MicZel discord server!!](https://discord.gg/9fgtCNP) We're hyping over Three Houses rn, so if that's your tea, you can come and join us!!


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